Process for treating petroleum oils



fractions.

Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE J'AOQ'U'E C. MORRELL,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR'TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS I COMPANY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA rnocnss FOR TREATINGrnr nonnom: OILS No Drawing. Application filed April 27, 1923, SerialNo. 635,12 3. Renewed March 15,- 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in a process for treatingpetroleum oil and refers more particularly to the increase of lowboiling point hydrocarbons in cracked distillates. The invention furtherhas to do with a process in which the hydrocarbon oil during treatmentis subjected to a refining action simultaneously with the conversion ofthe oils into relatively low boiling point products.

The process is carried out by treating the oil in any suitable type ofcracking unit, either a shell or tube still provided with an expansionzone in which the heated oil is permitted to cool and vaporize. Duringtreatment the oil is subjected to a conversion temperature and a vaporpressure regulated to maintain upon the oil a pressure relative to thetemperature in order to effect the most desirable cracking conditions.These conditions will vary within a considerable range, as the difierentoils require different conditions of temperature and pressure to producethe most complete conversion.

The invention resides in having present during the conversion of the oilpermanganates, particularly the permanganates of potassium and sodium.These re-agents are preferably introduced into the still and thedistillation carried on while they are in intimate contact with the oilundergoingtreatment. It has been found, particularly with the conversionof such oils as kerosene and cracked distillate when distilled in thepresence of such re-agents, that there is produced an increased amountof low boiling point This increase is somewhat augmented by theintroduction of an oxidizing gas such as air, oxygen, or ozone. Themanganese compound remaining in the still may be recovered by suitablemethods and the substance again re-used with further distillations.

The oxidizing reaction should be carried out to the extent of refiningthe oil particularly to remove objectionable sulphur compounds andimprove the product by the presence of oxygen-containing compounds.Oxidation to the extent of approximately 5% will serve for. refiningpurposes, whereas upward of 5%, say up to 25%, may be dges rable'v I forproducing oxygen derivatives.

In this connection it has beenfoundthat the use of such re-agent to theamount of ten per cent will increase the low boiling point hydrocarbonsproduced from five to ten per cent. These figures, however, are relativeand may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention. Incertain cases it may be desirable to increase ordecrease this percentageof permanganate present during the treatment of the oil to produce thebest results. The substance acts partial ly as a catalyst and seems alsoto have a:

particularly desirable chemical action. Al'- though there is anincreased amount of low boiling point products, there is also adecidedly advantageous effect of the presence of this re-agent in thatthe resultant products are of a more refined nature, being of arelatively sweet odor and substantially devoid of objectionable coloringmatter.

Reference is made to the fact that this conversion or treatment of theoil takes placeunder pressure. It has been found under certainconditions and in connection with certain oils that the treatment is assatisfactory under atmospheric pressure as when a superatmosphericpressure is imposed. The preferable temperature range, however, has beenfound to be from approximately 700 F. to 925 F. while preferentialpressures range from 50 pounds per square inch to 300 pounds per squareinch.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process of converting substantial percentages of relatively highboiling point oils into lower boiling point oils and in simultaneouslyrefining said lower boiling point oils, consisting in heating andvaporizing oil at a conversion temperature in the presence ofpermanganates not in excess of 10% by weight of the oil treated, of ametallic substance, in introducing during the reaction period anoxidizing gas, in condensing and collectin the evolved vapors and inmaintaining a regulated vapor pressure upon the oil undergoingtreatment.

2. A process for producing low boiling oil 1y refining the former whichcomprises cracking the higher boiling oil by subjection to crackingconditions of temperature and pressure in the presence of a metallicperman- 5 ganate not in excess of by weight of the oil treated andrecoverin the low boiling hydrocarbons thereby profiuced.

3. A process for producing low boiling oil from higher boiling oil andfor simultaneously refining the former which comprises distilling thehigher boiling oil in the presence of a metallic permanganate not inexcess of 10% by weight of the oil treated at a temperature and under asuperatmospheric pressure adequate to effect substantial cracking andcondensing the resultant vapors.

4. A process for producin low boiling oil from higher boiling oil am?for simultaneouslv refining the former which comprises cracking thehigher boiling oil by subjection to cracking conditions of temperatureand pressure in the presence of a metallic permanganate not in excess of10% by weight of the oil treated and an oxidizing gas, and

recovering the low boiling hydrocarbons thereby produced. I

5. A process for producing low boiling oil from higher boiling oil andfor simultaneously refining the former which comprises N 80 distillingthe higher boiling oil in the presence of a metallic permanganate not inexcess of 10% by weight of the oil treated and an oxidizing gas at atemperature and under a supe'ratmospheric pressure adequate to effectsubstantial cracking and condensing the resultant vapors. o

JACQUE C. MORRELL'

